Recommend a First Table Saw?

[Blackend]

Hi guys - been lurking here for a while, but actually have a question now! :D

I'm looking to buy my first table saw, and I figured you guys seem to know WAY more than I do about which direction to go. I'll just be using it for homeowner-type projects. The first one is decreasing the raised portion size on the backs of some cabinet doors so they'll fit into the cabinet frame opening, so a lot of repeated cuts at the same depth. Figure I'll be making some speaker boxes too in the not-too-distant future.

My budget is around $300 - wifey would prefer me to stay under that, but if there is a really great deal for $350, I'll probably go for it. I was looking at
this one (http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00924885000P?vName=Tools&cName=Bench+Power+Tools&sName=Table+Saws&filter=Price%7C90-680) but I have seen you guys kinda shy people away from Craftsman stuff in the past so I figured I'd ask first!

Looking to buy in the next couple of weeks or so...

Thanks,
Brian

[Don]

Hey, Brian. You should do a search when you have a minute on some of the great comments on table saws. You'll find that a good table saw in the cornerstone of a shop, if you have one you will find more and more to do with it. With that said, any of them will do the job, it's just a matter of how well and at what comfort level on your part.

Many of the cheaper saws will not allow the use of dado or molder heads, either the arbor is not long enough or they just don't have the power.

My personal issue with the more inexpensive saws is the noise. Most newbies don't think twice about it because they expect them to be loud. The direct drive saws use a drive system similar to chop saws (toothed belts or gears) this results in a high pitched whine that begs you to turn off. A table saw usually runs longer and this can be very anxiety inducing when you are supposed to be enjoying your work. I wouldn't have one in the shop unless I was desperate.

A basic belt drive saw with a TEFC motor will only make a whisper while it is running and typically they have more torque for the heavier cuts. I read the reviews on the saw you are looking at. I think I would have to say, save your money for a better deal. Look through the local classifieds - you just might come across some gold.

Saws like these are almost the shop basics. Look for belt drive, cast iron top, steel stamped wings (preferably iron wings) rock solid rip fence, a saw with some weight to it. You will be much more at ease and being a newbie at it.

My recommends are more money, you might want to save a little longer. Take your doors to a cabinet shop in the interim or modify them on your router table if you have one.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-Table-Saw-1-1-2-HP-Single-Phase-110V/G0444

http://www.grizzly.com/images/pics/jpeg288/g/g0444.jpg

http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/TS3650-Table-Saw/EN/index.htm

Good luck and let us know what you decide, hopefully others will make some recommends as well.

All the best, Don

[Blackend]

Thanks for the reply Don! My problem is that my "shop" is just one half of the garage and isn't really going to be ever dedicated to one hobby of mine...space is at a premium with me, but not so much that I want a jobsite saw or a colapsable. I just need something smallish with a decent track record. While I'd love to have a good to great saw, it would be a shame to buy a $700 saw and only use it 2-3 times a year.

The noise is ok for me, it keeps wifey and kiddos out of my way :D

[Dagster]

I can't really recommend any tabletop saw because I despise them... I can however recommend the Rigid Portable table saw. Sounds like it will fit your needs to the T. It folds down and stores vertially or can be hung from hooks on the wall etc... This is something I've been considering as a job site saw. Hard to drag my cabinet saw to the site :D

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100090444

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImage/1bae0794-eaff-4eba-b65e-34063eb15461_300.jpg

[Blackend]

I can't really recommend any tabletop saw because I despise them... I can however recommend the Rigid Portable table saw. Sounds like it will fit your needs to the T. It folds down and stores vertially or can be hung from hooks on the wall etc... This is something I've been considering as a job site saw. Hard to drag my cabinet saw to the site :D

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100090444

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImage/1bae0794-eaff-4eba-b65e-34063eb15461_300.jpg


Wow - hard to argue with all those reviews. Thanks for the link Dagster. I think I looked at this one at HD this weekend, but passed over it since I would rather have a smaller cabinet saw, but I may have to go back and look again after reading those reviews. I guess I'm looking at this wrong, if I buy a portable saw now, and make some nice stuff for wifey, she'll be more willing to let me shell out bigger bucks for a nicer cabinet saw in the future...:D

[Joe C]

The table saw is the real center of the shop. Try to get the best saw yu can afford. You won't regret it. I tried to save a few bucks years back and went with a contractor saw. I spent more time trying to keep it aligned than cutting wood. I finally broke down and invested in a cabinet saw. The results were unbelievable. If you do happen to go the cabinet route, put it on a mobile base since your space is limited. Also, some of the newer hybrid table saws have been getting good reviews lately. They do not have the power of a regular cabinet saw, but do have some of the other features.

http://www.craftandwoodworking.com

[Blackend]

Thanks for the advice guys - I changed my mind a little here and I think I'm just going to invest in a router table (for the cabinet doors) for now and push more pennies into a pile for a good cabinet saw later on. We're moving this summer (that's why I'm trying to get the little projects done like the cabinets!) and the place we're looking at has a nice 15 x 20 air conditioned shed in the back yard...might be my "shop" if we get it so I'll hold off on that big shop cornerstone purchase for right now!

Thanks again!

[splinters]

For your immediate application, I would highly recommend looking through craigslist pretty regularly for a used Delta contractors saw. Many a good woodworkers survived for many many years with that saw. It is a work horse and there are always many around. Hold out for a good one. But, more importantly than the saw you choose, be prepared to buy a good blade. A good blade is going to cost you another $75 to $100, but it will be worth it. If you choose less than a cabinet saw (again, that is OK), go with a thin kerf blade and a stiffener. The thin kirf will work better on a lower HP motor. Good Luck.